City OKs land lease agreement

Commissioners, by an 8-0 vote, gave the tentative OK to a land lease agreement between the city and Bosbeck LLC for work at the Clovis Municipal Airport.

Bosbeck, with James Bostwick and Sid Strebeck as principal representatives, plans to acquire a ground lease of approximately 120,000 square feet at the airport, with a 30,000 square foot facility subleased to a tenant to perform air crew training.

Chase Gentry, executive director of the Clovis Industrial Development Corporation, said the tenant, which could not be revealed due to a non-disclosure agreement, would bring in 70 to 80 full-time jobs, with 40 four-week classes annually.

The students — estimated at 300-500 annually — would be housed in local hotels or eat in area restaurants.

The deal was recommended by the Civil Aviation Board in a special meeting Wednesday, but City Attorney David Richards said there wasn’t enough time to draw up a full contract.

That troubled Mayor Pro Tem Randy Crowder.

“I vowed to read everything,” Crowder said, noting he was completely behind the proposal, “and I feel like I’m voting on something that hasn’t even been written.”

Crowder’s sentiments did not surprise Richards or Commissioner Fred Van Soelen, who is on the aviation board.